The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-07-16


 noise; in the second place, if l did catch 1t I couldn't see 1t. So that was no use.
 Desperation came to the rescue, and firmly made up my mind to walk up the middle passage, I did so and felt the two end doors with my finger tips in vain. Who can feel painted numbers? listened for the sound of breathing, to know which to avoid, but could hear none but my own. Suddenly, as often in such cases of ex- treme despair, the conviction came strong upon me that it was the left hand door. The thought, however, of mistake proved almost too strong for me. pictured to myself the inevita- ble shriek, followed by twenty others, the opening or unlocking of twenty doors, the awful figure of Miss Spin- ney in dressing gown and nightcap bearing down on me, candle in hand, the trembling crowd of teachers (Blue Eyes among them }, servants and pu- pills behind, myself the detected crim- nal, with boots off! Nevertheless, clenched my teeth. and grasping the handle tightly, turned it slowly and quietly. There was no sound, and in I stole. It must be my room. But what Is that? A head on the pillow? Yes, by all that's sacred, the wrong room!
 How got out of that room I never knew. A cold shudder came over me when I found myself outside, and I felt more inclined to remain standing in the passage until daylight than to go through any such ordeal again. But I got tired of standing, and calmer reflection induced me to try the next passage. With a renewal of the horrible sensation have described, I ventured, and to my unspeakable e- lief found myself in the right room at last. Hastily sprang into bed, but courted sleep in vain, for my brain was in whirl after the excitement of the last half hour.
 In the morning, with shattered nerves, came down to breakfast, un- fortunately not to be reassured at once. Who could be comfortable with twenty pairs of eyes to put one out, whose owners thoroughly enjoy the discontinue of the effect? Blue Eyes did her best for me, and saved me from feeling utterly miserable. A quarter to eleven saw the whole school fl le two and two to church. did not accompany them. The influence of the fresh air in an orchard at the back of the house seemed more re- freshing to my broken constitution. The midday dinner was almost as bad as the breakfast; the double line of eyes all down the table were riveted on me, and consequently mine on my platoon my plate, save when they strayed to certain rosy fingers not far off, and upwards to certain blue eyes of which alone they did not seem afraid. The afternoon brought wei come change in my relations with the school. We all adjourned to the or chard before mentioned, and there, under the cool shade of an apple tree, I examined, each with its charming owner, some twenty albums. How fond they are of albums, those de- lightful girls of under seventeen! asked Blue Eyes to show me an al- bum, but she said that pupil teachers never kept them, which told her was a fib. Still, she sat down and talked instead of showing me an album, and this was really pleasanter.
 On leaving such good friends next day was, as is only natural, A little depressed; but my awful adventure of the wrong room still haunted me, and I felt safe at any rate when the gate of Algebra Lodge closed behind our cab.
 There was much pleasure as well as pain in my experience of this unknown world of girldom, short and slight though that experience was; but on looking hack have to thank my stars that things were not worse, that my departure was easy and dignifed in stead of being a midnight scramble.
 So ends my story as told to my friends of the smoking room. did not confide to them what l will now to you, my gentle reader. Two sum- mers later my sister brought home for the holidays one of her teachers, whom she described as being lawfully jolly" It was Blue Eyes! One evening told her the whole story of my adventure that night. She laughed 90 much at my misfortunes that grew angry and said she had no sympathy. Then she pouted; then I kissed her and then she promised to marry me when got a mastership or work at the bar. This is why am working so hard now BelgrdUid.